Creating a video game is often a labor of love, especially for small, independent teams. These developers pour their hearts and countless hours into bringing their visions to life. But sometimes, even before a game fully finds its footing, a problem emerges that threatens their hard work: illegal downloads.
That’s the difficult situation facing the creators of “Earthion,” a new 2D space shooter. This game launched on July 31st and quickly gained praise from fans of classic arcade titles. It intentionally looks and feels like a game made for a SEGA Genesis or Mega Drive console, complete with beautiful 16-bit graphics that evoke a strong sense of nostalgia.
However, the game’s digital release on Steam came with an unexpected downside. The way the game runs on Steam means its underlying code, similar to a ROM file, was vulnerable. It was quickly hacked and started spreading across the internet. This prompted Yuzo Koshiro, the game’s director and a legendary composer known for his work on games like “Street of Rage,” to make a direct appeal.
Mr. Koshiro took to Twitter to ask everyone not to download these hacked versions of the game. He explained that doing so directly harms the developers, especially smaller indie studios like his.
⚠️ A hacked ROM of Earthion is being circulated online. Some people may think it’s official, but it’s not.
The official version is available only on Steam for now.
The MD/Gen version will launch next year as a cartridge only. No downloadable ROM is planned.
Please support us…— 古代祐三 Yuzo Koshiro (@yuzokoshiro) August 3, 2025
Koshiro shared on his social media that while the game will eventually come out as a physical cartridge for the SEGA Genesis or Mega Drive next year, no digital ROM for that version is planned. He also confirmed that despite their efforts to protect the Steam version, it was unfortunately cracked.
“I want to thank everyone who supports Earthion through official channels,” Koshiro stated. He added, “This pirated ROM really hurts our small indie game team. We put so much into this game, and we hope everyone enjoys it.”
For those interested in playing the game legally, Earthion is currently available on PC. Its creators also plan to bring it to other console systems in the future.